Calculating machine



May 10, 1927.

C. L. JOHNSTON CALCULATING MACHINE Filed May 20. 1921 i' ii I l li I H Ti IJLUL LIL INVENTOR GLrcIbhii fiZ'OT l/ A TTOR NE YS WITNES'S Patented May 10, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLARENCE L. JOHNSTON, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO MARCHANT CAL- CULATING MACHINE COMPANY, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

CALCULATING MACHINE.

lhe invention relates to calculating machines of the type embodying toothed adjusting wheels having radially movable teeth, variable as to the number operativcly projected and also provided with cam discs arranged on those wheels, and by the adjustment or rotation of the cam discs, the 'teeth of the adjusting wheels are brought into and moved out of operating position, the rotation of the wheels being effected by a handle which projects to the outside of the machine. The values adjusted on the toothed adjusting wheels are transmitted on the rotation of the crank handle, indirectly, by means of intermediate wheels, to the figure discs of the counting mechanism, which, for the purpose of making the direct action of the units toothed adjusting wheel on the intermediate wheel of the figure discs of higher value possible, is disposed in parallel displaceable relation to the adjusting mechanism axis. In such calculating machines, the counting mechanism or wheels indicating the crank revolutions, is located on the carriage of the displaceable main registering mechanism connected thereto. The main registering mechanism, or series of figure discs, is provided with a zero setting handle or knob, and the revolution indicating mechanism, or series of figure discs, is similarly provided with a zero setting handle or knob, the zero setting mechanisms being operable in all displaced positions of the can riage.

It frequently happens that the operator accidentally or deliberately rotates the main crank handle during the time that the zero setting mechanisms, or either of them, are out of neutral or inoperative position, with the result that the machine is injured or damaged.

An object of the invention, therefore, is to provide means for preventing the rotation of the toothed adjusting wheels during the time that a zero setting device is in operative, or out of neutral position. By neutral position is meant the normal position of rest of the zero setting handle or knob.

The invention possesses other advantageous features, some of which, with the foreoing, will be set forth at length in the ollowin description, where I shall outline in full that form of the invention which I 1921. Serial No. 471,189.

have selected for illustration in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specili ,-ation. In said drawings, I have shown one specific embodiment of my invention. but it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to such form. since the invention. as expressed in the claim, may be embodied in a plurality of forms.

Ileferringto said drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of the machine with the counting discs and toothed wheels removed, showing the connection between the operating crank and the locking means.

Figure 2 is a vertical, sectional view on line 22 of Fig. 1. i

Figure 3 is a vertical, sectional view through the housing on the carriage.

Figure 4 is a detail, elevational view of the contiguous ends of the two counter disc shafts.

Various mechanisms and features of a type of calculating mechanism with which the present invention is particularly adaptable, are disclosed in Patent No. 1.379,009, issued to Carl M. F. Friden on May 24, 1921, for calculating machine, and reference is made to such application for details of construction, of disclosures of a type of machine more or less well known; the present disclosure indicating diagrammatically, therefore, only certain well known elements of such type of machine, and with which the present invention is combined and arranged. However. it is to be understood that the present improvements in locking means, while particularly adaptable for calculating machines, are also useful in other types of machine.

In the accompanying drawings, the structure indicates a suitable frame having sides 3 and 4, in which a shaft 5 is provided, and

which is adapted to carry a set of adjusting toothed wheels indicated by the dotted lines designated 10. The shaft is provided on the end adjacent the side 4: with a gear 6. which meshes with a gear 7, secured on a crank shaft 8, on which a suitable crank handle 9 is provided. The gears 6 and 7 are of the same size, so that one rotation of the crank handle produces one rotation of the shaft 5 with the toothed wheels 10 thereon. The toothed wheels form a art of an organized mechanism with the s aft 5 and are de signed to cooperate with organized sets or series of figure discs not here disclosed, but which are operatively mounted on a pair of coaxial and relatively axially movable shaffs'24-2S.

The set of figure discs on the shaft 24 is for indicating the result of a desired calculation, and the set or series of figure discs carried by the shaft 25, is for indicating the number of rotations of the crank shaft 8 and of the shaft 5.

The shaft 5 is provided at. one end with a gear 21 meshing with a gear 19 of equal diameter, and this is adapted in operation to actuate one or another of the series of figure discs, not shown, which are provided on the shaft 25.

The counting wheels, not shown in the drawings, are loosely mounted on the shaft 2425 and the shaft and wheels are provided with devices adapted to cooperate, on longitudinal movement of the shaft, to cause rotation of the shaft to return the counting wheel to zero position. One form of arrangement for producing this result is fully disclosed in the Trinks Patent, No. 928,083 of July 13, 1909, to which reference is hereby made for a complete disclosure of the zero re-setting mechanism.

The shafts 24-25, with their respective series of calculating figure wheels and rotation-indicating figure wheels, are preferably bodily shiftable with respect to the organized mechanism, including the main shaft 5, with the parts thereon, and the crank shaft 8, for obvious reasons, and, therefore, these shafts are mounted in a carriage 29, having upwardly extending ends, through which the shafts 2425 pass, and the former is provided on its outer end with a winged collar or handle-forming part 22, while the opposite end of the shaft 25 is provided with a similar winged collar or handle-forming part 23; each of the shafts being normally yieldingly pressed inward,

so that cooperative cam devices formed or provided on the winged collars 22-23 serve to shift the shafts 24-25, respectively, outwardly upon a turning movement of the shafts by the handle devices 22-23. Such form of cam device may consist of an in clined shoulder or notch wall 27, provided on the outer end if the bosses 28 on the ends of the carriage, and which are engageable by lateral tooth-like or projecting portions 26 on the contiguous faces of the collars 22-23.

it has heretofore been proposed to lock the organized mechanism, such as the gear trains 19 21, 67, at predetermined periods, so as to prevent the accidentalor other operation of said mechanism during the restoration or re-setting of the various series of figure discs on the shafts 24-25 by the rotation of the shafts.

The present invention relates, therefore, particularly to means for locking the associated mechanism with respect to the shafts 24 25 at various positions of the carriage 29 on the frame of the machine, and when the zero-setting devices are in operation, or

v out of neutral position.

To that end, the contiguous ends of the shafts 2425 are provided with peripheral inclined surfaces 24 and 25, substantially in form of truncated cones, with their bases in juxtaposition. As stated, the shafts 2425 are relatively axially movable upon the turning movement of either shaft by means of the cam devices 2(327 above described, and such axial movement is utilized through means of the inclined portions 24 and 25 to actuate a locking means, comprising, in, the present case, a pin 30, disposed with its axis perpendicular to the axes of the shafts 24-25, and in a plane thereof.

The end of the pin 30, contiguous to the conical portions 24-25, is provided with a yoke 31, having a reentrant angular face 32, the facets of which correspond to the angle of the conical portions 2425', so that upon axial movement of either shaft, its respective conical portion operates to press the pin 30 rearwardly in a bearing block or housing 33 that is provided with a drill hole 34, in which the pin is yieldingly mounted, and is surrounded by a reacting spring 35 bearing at one end against the yoke 34 and at the opposite end against a collar or suitable stop 36, through which the pin projects toward a universal lock shaft or bar 37, extending parallel to' the axes of the shafts 2425, and being provided at one end with a gear 38, engaging an intermediate gear 39, which meshes with the contiguous gear 19 above referred to. The pinion 38 is'of one-half the diameter of the gear 19, and, therefore, rotates at twice the speed thereof.

Along the bar 37 there is provided a series of notches 37 designed to be engaged by the pin 30 when this is projected at vanous positions of the carriage 29 upon and by axial shifting of the shaft 24, or the shaft 25, and whereby the bar 37 is locked.

What is claimed is: 4

In a machine having aligned shafts, and an organized mechanism associated therewith; means for axially relatively moving the shafts, and means operative by and upon said axial movement of either shaft to lock the said mechanism.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

CLARENCE L. JOHNSTON.

IOU 

